Package and method of making it



Sgpt. 8, 1953 s. M.'BODIOLAIY ET AL 8 PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING ITFiled Deb. 15, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITEDPACKKGEANDEMETHOD Stephen M-.- Bo.dolay,- Springfield, g n l svecchiatMefl-fpri; Mass., assigndrs to Stephen Bodolax lnm, springfielliiesena. co o ation.

ftMassa hnsettsl e and; to some. ext nt: ins-Shane; to, encase. them"in. a wrapper; i; S so,astto,form.axpaska eferzz div .11 L have not beensuqceseml+ h ic Qk r n tz QQz fra ile. to: withstandin ;DESSMQIQ; hh.195k are-subie t dtbyoustomary: r nni rgim Moreover, if: w ap d Q-tfihtly oftenrbursts by reason. of; shrinlia per or swelling oitheicontenstv E.

protectingzthe; crackers from. ustaand Q extent-xfromtmoisturetoitnmradequ vent the. crackers from Eth'SQIhiIlg- II19 q losing their.crispneeS; i-fi-vithey areno u some: considerable; time af r-poem 11%;1,M. over, the. loosenesseof; the;crackelisrwithimmea velope may. resultin causingfihenrt fi umthlfi andcrack and thus lose the, dfi i dr-i-zrfihifi s; pearance. The present invention-he ri iio ei ject theprovision of a novel oa sing onwrap for crackers or the. like: Agfurtherohjeet D provide. a,nove1,.packa .ecomnrisine tw 9.0 more: cracke s.disposed oneabpve theotherrand nzreg r ist y; ndo wrappin 0.1:casineidesigned. p e ventsubstantial: relative; movementing ofthecrackers or-gshri-nkageof the wrapp itself withoutbursting oropening.aoi;*its seam r and which at the 53,1118,timeais ,SQ:Wve1 ?S631Bd'a5; adequately to prevent: the entry; .0f: 'm,QiStu1-:e=, furtherobject is to" provide {a cracker package: comprising a plurality ofcrackers .ofsthe saltine type arranged 1 one above thetother. and:-in=regis;-.; try, and a.v casing or wrapping rofzthin; transparwentmoisture-impervi1.ms sheetimaterialz havina m i u .e-:-.- A,furth rtb e ttieto c ackere andrwhosemaremal: or ions; r over.-

2 mer iml rzertmmhichgre overlapped nd. h ting means so uniting'theoverlepfied mo e file portionea ong er sed ubttantial rnar lle l nSE-tQvQrQ jdouhle s a t or he x lusioni rov de; a cr ck err naelta e-winia nhire i f. sub ta i l e tan ular craq fifim are a ed ne ei ry, onabove the other, and cl iine ethinr o tur r imnerviqus easing pnwrapper.which hous s; h

' ouefwrappe If-Sy lh nl t i,theywreneerehavine;marg nal;por-, tions;,whie extend beyonaithetendedgesof the rae sersgandra so wine-mamm lportionewhich ext nd: eyond: onet oneitudin l, d e, f; 7 each cracker,the marginal pgrtiflns;adjacenttqeaeh i; said z d es, heme; -n e =v and,b i fus ;th reby prov ding t.v heg n lrx fl o sture- A, .v de-a me hod;of, makin :1 nae s ra-or he ike com:

-c aflnej n wran e pr in sheet ot-the. conte ts of h Ariurtne bi t orithm vmtd'isi provide a novel method of paolmging creolere fiheflikeethat;the are-thorough y enait xfieele h eemet t sph r c 1 9 5? i th mienndwarm :Qftr he selt tne overlapped, longitudinal, marginal portions ofthe,

wrapper as having been turned upwardly and preparatory to the cutting ofthe blanks 4 This thermoplastically coated cord may be united to thesheet material by heat and pressure alone and without the use of asolvent. If a solvent be employed in providing an easy opening tab, theodor of the solvent persists even after the solvent has apparentlyevaporated, and would impart an offensive flavor to the crackers encasedwithin the wrapper. This cord extends from one edge 6 to the other edgel, preferably being slightly inclined with reference to the edge 8.

heat-sealed adjacent to the upper surface of the package;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig; but illustrating the first heat-sealingstep in uniting the overlapped margins of the wrapper at one end of thepackage;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section showing the overlapped margins of thewrapper at the completion of the first heat-sealing operation at the endof the package;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view showing the folded-in corners of theend margins subsequent to the first heat-sealing of the end margins;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the end margins at thecompletion of the second heat-sealing operation; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the completed casing or wrapper, butomitting the contents.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates a package ofcrackers illustrative of the Preferably, to facilitate the rippingoperation, slits i I and i2 are provided at each side of the cord l0,

. extending inwardly from the transverse edges 6 present invention. Thispackage comprises two crackers 2 and 3 (Fig. 2) disposed one above theother in re istering relation and enclosed in an airtight wrapper 4(Fig. 12) which is of thin, flexible, moisture-impervious, sheet,heat-sealing material, preferably transparent, although it may becolored if desired. For instance, the sheet material may be a syntheticplastic, for example, cellophane, or a thermoplastically coated metalfoil, such as aluminum foil.

The crackers here illustrated by way of example of the utility andpractice of the invention are of the saltine type, being duplex crackerseach having a line of weakness formed by perforations indicated at 5 sothat the two parts of the cracker may be separated easily. Thesecrackers (here illustrated by way of example) are customarily 4 incheslong and 2 inches wide and slightly less than inch in thickness so thatthe package consisting of two superposed crackers may approximate T95 ofan inch in thickness. However, the above dimensions are given merely byway of illustration, it being understood that the invention isapplicable to the formation of packages employing crackers of all sizesand dimensions and of different types as well as other wafer-likearticles, for example cookies or fancy biscuits.

The wrapper 4 is made from a sheet 4 (Fig. 4) of the selected wrappingmaterial, preferably a synthetic plastic such for instance ascellophane, which is capable of being heat sealed. For use in making thepackage here illustrated, comprising the crackers above referred to,this sheet or blank A may be approximately 5 inches wide, that is to sayhorizontally, and 5% inches long, having the parallel, transverse topand bottom edges 6 and 1 and the parallel right and left edges 8 and 9respectively.

Preferably this blank 4* is provided with a strong rip cord In,preferably a cord made of cotton with a synthetic plastic coating. Sucha cord may be heat sealed to the sheet material and'l. Theseslit-portions are provided at the opposite ends of the rip cord tofacilitate graspinglthe cord'in ripping the wrapper from the package,

'I-Iaving' prepared thiswrapper blank 4 the cracker 3 which is to be thelowermost cracker in the package, is located on this wrapper blank inthe-space 3 in Fig. '4, with its lateral edges at E and E spacedinwardly from the edges 9 and 8 respectively, of the wrapper so as toleave the mar inal portions l3 and I4 of the wrapper at each end of thecracker. The cracker is likewise arranged so that one longitudinal edgeis located at E spaced from the edge I so as to'leave a marginal portionE5 of the blank projecting beyond the edge at E the other longitudinaledge of the cracker then being at E As a practical matter, the crackers2 and 3 are assembled and placed as a unit on the blank. However, the

crackers and blank may be otherwise associated so as'to bring them inthe relative position illustrated in Fig. 4. Before placing the crackerson the blank, the latter is placed upon a suitable support or abutmentl6 (Figs. 5 and 8) which may, for example, be a rigid steel die blockhaving a downwardly and outwardly sloping beveled face l8 over which themargin I5 of the blank projects in assembling the parts. After havingassembled the parts in this way so that they rest on the abutment blockit, the edge 6 of the wrapper is carried upwardly and about theassembled crackers, the wrapper blank bending along the line E so as toform the vertical edge wall 20 (Fig. 6) The wrapper also bends about theupper rear edge of the upper cracker 2 to form the horizontal top wall2| of the wrapper, and again bends down about the forward upper edge ofthe upper cracker to form the front wall 22 of the package. The marginalportion 23 of the wrapper, adjacent to the edge 6, extends downsubstantially parallel to the projecting margin [5 which overlies thebeveled face l8 of the abutment. lower corner parallel to the surface 58of the die block i6, is now moved into contact with the margin 23 and iscaused to press the margin 23 forcibly against the margin l5. Since themember N5 is heated, this pressure causes the margins 23 and I5 tocoalesce within a narrow transverse area of approximately the dimensionsof the inclined beveled surface it. Because the surface [8 slopesdownwardly and away from the lower face of the bottom cracker, thepressure may be applied without injury to the crackers but the area ofcoalescence or heat seal extends very close to the edge of the cracker(Fig. 6) so that the crackers are closely embraced by the wrapper.However, the part 16 exerts no direct pressure on the crackers, the seal24 (Fig. 6) being formed directly between the parts l6 and IE and its10- cation is not changed by any slight irregularities A heated presser16*, having a beveled' answers 5 which may exist :the size nor shape of:the crackers :being 'wrapped.

After the :first heat-sealing operation, the united marginal :fiaps ii::and 23 :are turned "upwardlyso as to stand substantially vertical, asshown in Fig. -7, bending sharply along the lower forward-edge of'thelowercracker. lAs illus'trated, the forward flap i5 is somewhat widerthan the flap i 2 3, so that the uppermost portion-oi the flap-i"5-extends beyond the edge of the fiap 23. This upwardly proj ectingedge portion f the flap i is now pressed (preferably by meansof a heateddie 2 5, Fig. 7) against .the bodyof the wrapper, near the upper frontedge of the upper cracker, only slight pressure being employed so as 1to tack the flap -i5 to the -bodyof the wrapper-along ase'cond-sealing-area 25*, thus producingadoubleseal and giving a neatappearance.

Having drawn th wrapper blank around the crackers and having *provided atwo-fold -'seal atone longitudinal edge wall of the package, the endmargins of theresultantenibryo package are next folded and sealed. Asillustrated in Fig. 8, the 'abutment-or'die block 16 is provided alongits right and left ends withupstanding ridges 26 having curved innerfaces 2-! and'downwardly and outwardly sloping beveled faces '28. Thelower cracker 3,-with the portion H of the wrapper underlying it,extends from the inner surface ilTof-one of the ridges 26'-to theinner'surface 2-! of the corresponding ridge (not shown) at the oppositeend of the block. Thesurfaces 21 and 28 meet at an'upwardly acute edge29. Initiallythe marginal portions i3 and It at opposite edges of "thewrapper blank extendoutwardly and upwardly over the edges 29, and *thecorresponding margina1 portions I3 and I4 (which now form extensions ofthe upper wall 2| of theembryo wrapper) overlie the marginal portions I3and I4 respectively. The superposed marginal portions are now bentdownwardly onto the surface 28 (Fig. 8) thus drawing the wrapper in atransverse direction about the crackers. Preferably, before the heatsealing operation is performed, the corners 34 and 35 of'the end margins(Fig. 10) are folded inwardly along diagonal lines. Heated pressermembers 32 (Fig. 8), one of which is arranged at each end of thestationary block or die 16, (these presser members '32 having beveledlower surfaces of the same slope as the surfaces 28) are moved intocontact with the upper flaps 133 and it respectively, and'force theseflaps into contact with the flaps i3 and respectively. Because the part32 is heated,'the pressureof the -fiap's between the rigid dies 16 and32 eau'sesthe flaps to fuse at narrow transversely extending areashaving substantially the dimensions of the surfaces 28. As shown 'inFig. 8, the height 'of the ridge 26 is such that the edge 29 is aboutmid-way of the heightof the lowermost cracker 3 andas the edge "29 isacute, the action of thediesis to-form a sharp fold line at the edge,and the area of fusing extends substantially to the fold line. Thepressure is exerted between'the opposed "diesyno substantial force beingapplied to the crackers suchas mig'ht crumble them. A perfectheat sealis thus made possible since as much pressure as necessary may h appliedwithout damage to the crackers.

After the :heat seal 33 (Fig. 11) :has "been formed, the united flaps1.3 ;and .l 3*.and 4-4 *eand 14 are then turned upwardly, as illustratedin Fig. 11, .and their upper margins are tacked to the body of thewrapper along lines such as the line 36 :ofiliig. $11, in the samewayias illustrated in Fig. F1.

The formation of the heat seals at :33 iand'36 provides a double seal ateach end of the package. ii h'e wrapper embraces the crackers :so thatthey cannot:shiftsrelatively :to each 1 other :to any substantialextent,and'thus crumblingis reduced to .azminimum. Moreover, 'thersideand-endawalls ofithefpackage are smooth andsubstantiallyperpendicul'arto the top and bottom surfaces so that the apackageis'of neat appearance:andcapable of being packed with similar packages inza container withoutloss of space. Furthermore, the .tough wrapper holds the crackerstogether so that they act as a unit, reinforcing each other againstforces which tend to break them, and the packaged crackers are much lesssubject to breakage than though they were merely placed loosely in anenvelope or similar container.

.iIhe "above described operations may be ,performed by hand or-by theuse of such simple implements as above described, or maybe carried outby;properly organized machinery. It is lfurther'tobe understood that.while heat sealingis preferred, the double sealing at one longitudinaledgeand at the ends may beprovided in other ways, for example by theemployment of adhesive or the like. However heat sealing is;preferablebecause it may be performed very :rapidly and the seal thus formed isnot afiected by atmospheric moisture.

While the wrapper has herein been referred to as of moisture-imperviousmaterial it is :to beiunderstood that this term is used in a relativesenseand as suggestive-of the moisture-resistant characteristic of suchresinous materials-as cellophane and the like which, although resistantto moisture forlong periods, ar not absolutely and completely imperviousto the passage of moisture.

When the completed package is to be opened it is merely necessary toseize the wrapper materialibetweenthe lines H-H or l2-|2, whichever'areaof the wrapper is at the exterior, after the completion of thepackage,and to exert force tending to unwrap :the rip cord ['6 from around thepackage. The ripping of this cord from around the package removes astripof the wrapper, thu'slleaving the wrapper open'at one end so that thecrackers are readily accessible.

It may again be noted that the heat seals formed at 24 and 33 betweenthe opposed surfaces of the rigid dies are definitely located by thedimensions of the die it, and that the formation -'of these heat sealsis independent of the exact size or shape of the cracker, :and that .asmuch pressure as necessary to insure a good seal may be employed informing theseheatls'eals without any regard to the frangible characterofthe articles bein wrapped. Furthermore, the novel method of wrappingisnot limitedto crackers or wafers of rectangular shape but is readilyapplicable to the wrapping of wafers of other shapes and dimensions, andwhether one or a greater number of wafersare to be enclosed in thewrapper.

'While for ease in description reference has been made to bottom and topwafers, and "to folding or bending the wrapper upwardly or downwardly,etc., such terms are not to be re- 'garded as limiting, since thepackage maybe formed with the wafer disposed in any convenient position.

While certain dimensions have herein been suggested as illustrative andwhile a particular order of steps has been suggested as desirable,

it is to b understood that the invention is not thus to be limited butonly as defined in the following claims. We. claim:

l. A package comprising a wafer and a protective casing for the wafer,the casing consisting of a single thin sheet of transparentmoisture-impervious material, the sheet forming substantially paralleltop and bottom walls, side walls and end walls, marginal portions of thesheet being overlapped along one side wall and at opposite ends of thepackage, respectively, overlapping portions of the material, at oppositeends of the package and adjacent to said side wall, being heat sealedtogether along each of two narrow, vertically spaced, horizontal areasone of which is adjacent to the top wall of the package.

2. A package comprising two substantially rectangular elongate wafersdisposed one above the other in registering relation and a protectivecasing for the wafers, the casing consisting of a single thin sheet-oftransparent, moisture-impervious material, the sheet formingsubstantially parallel top and bottom walls, side walls and end walls,marginal portions of the sheet being overlapped along one transverseside wall, and other marginal portions being overlapped at opposite endsrespectively of the package, the sheet material being tensioned snuglyabout the wafers and being of a type capable of being heat sealed, eachset of overlapped margins being heat sealed together along a narrow areaextending along one edge of the lowermost wafer and extending close tosaid edge, and each set oi overlapping margins being also fused togetheralong a second narrow area extending along an edge of the uppermostwafer and close to said edge.

3. A package comprising two substantially rectangular wafers disposedone above the other in registering relation and a protective casing forthe wafers, the casing consisting of a sheet of thin, transparent,moisture-impervious material enveloping the wafers, the casingcomprising top and bottom walls, side walls and end walls, the side andend walls being substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom walls,the marginal portions of the sheet being overlapped, said overlappingmarginal portions being hermetically sealed together along a narrow areaclosely adjacent to the edge of one of said wafers, the same overlappingmarginal portions being hermetically sealed together along a secondnarrow area adjacent to the corresponding edge of the other waferthereby providing a double seal to prevent the entry of moisture.

4. A package comprising a plurality of wafers disposed one above theother in registering relalation and a protective casing for the wafers,the casing consisting of a single sheet of thin, flexible,moisture-impervious, synthetic resin and comprising pcrtions formingparallel top and bottom walls and other portions forming transverse sidewalls and end walls, the side and end walls being substantiallyperpendicular to the top and bottom walls, the bottom wall having amarginal flap at its free transverse edge, the lower edge of onetransverse side wall also having a marginal flap, said flaps being heatsealed together along a narrow transversely extending area closelyadjacent to the junction of the bottom wall and said latter transverseside wall, both flaps extending upwardly, from the area at which theyare so sealed together, to the upper edge of the lastnamed transverseside wall, the same flaps being heat sealed together and to saidlast-named transverse side wall along a second narrow, trans- 8 verselyextending area adjacent to the junction of the latter side wall with thetop wall.

5. A package comprising two substantially rectangular wafers disposedone above the other in registering relation and a protective casing forthe wafers, the casing consisting of a single sheet of thin, flexiblemoisture-impervious, synthetic resin and comprising portions formingsubstantially parallel top and bottom walls and other portions formingtransverse side walls and end walls, the side and end walls beingsubstantially perpendicular to the bottom and top walls, the bottom wallhaving marginal flaps at the opposite ends of the package and each endwall having a marginal flap at its lower edge, the marginal flaps ateach end of the bottom wall being hermetically sealed to the marginalflaps of the corresponding end walls, the sealing being alongtransversely extending lines closely adjacent to the junctions of thebottom and respective end walls, the corners of the flaps at each endbeing turned inwardly along diagonal lines, both marginal flaps at eachend of the package extending upwardly from the aforesaid lines at whichthey are sealed together, the free edge portions of the marginal flapsat each end of the package being coalesced with the Wrapping materialadjacent to the junction of each end wall with the top wall.

6. That method of packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrapper sheet of moisture-impervious thermoplasticallyadhesive material, disposing at least one wafer upon the wrapper sheetadjacent to but spaced from one transverse edge of the latter, therebyleaving a transverse marginal flap of the sheet projecting beyond thewafer, drawing the sheet up and about the wafer and disposing its freetransverse margin in overlapping relation to the aforenamed marginalflap and so that said overlapped margins extend beyond the edge of thewafer, and while rigidly supporting said projecting flaps applying heatand pressure to the overlapping margins along a line closely adjacent tothe edge of the wafer but without applying substantial pressure to thewafer, thereby heatsealing the overlapped margins along a line close tothe lower longitudinal edge of the wafer, turning the overlappingmargins up and uniting the upturned marginal flap to the wrappingmaterial adjacent to the upper longitudinal edge of the water.

'7. That method of packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrapper sheet of moisture-impervious thermoplasticallyadhesive material, disposing a plurality of superposed registeringwafers upon the wrapper sheet adjacent to but spaced from one transverseedge of the latter, thereby leaving a trans verse marginal flap of thesheet projecting beyond the lowermost wafer, drawing the sheet up andabout the wafers and disposing its free transverse margin in overlappingrelation to the aforenamed marginal flap and so that said overlappedmarigns project beyond the edge of the lowermost wafer and while rigidlysupporting said projecting margins applying heat and pressure to theoverlapping margins along a line closely adjacent to the edge of thelowermost wafer thereby hermetically to seal said margins together, andthen turning said margins up and hermetically sealing the marginal flapstogether and to the wrapper sheet along a line close to the longitudinaledge of the uppermost wafer.

8. That method of packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible alonga transversely extending'area close to-thetransverse-edge.of.the lowermostwaf er thereby 'to fuse saidmarginstogether.

9. That method of" packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrapper sheetof moisture-impervious thermoplasticallyadhesive material, disposing at least one wafer upon the wrapper sheetwith the opposite edges of the wafer spaced substantially equally fromthe lateral edges of the sheet, thereby leaving an end margin of thewrapper sheet projecting at each end of the wafer, drawing the wrapperabout the wafer and rigidly supporting the transverse margins of thewrapper in overlapping relation and so that they slope downwardly andoutwardly from the lower edge of the wafer while subjecting said marginsto heat and pressure to unite them, thereby forming an embryo package,overlapping the projecting upper and lower portions of the end marginsof the Wrapper at each end of the package, rigidly supporting saidoverlapped margins at each end so that they slope downwardly andoutwardly from the lower lateral edge respectively of the wafer,subjecting the overlapped end margins along a line close to the edge ofthe lowermost wafer to heat and pressure to unite them, turning up theoverlapped and united marginal portions at each end of the package andfusing the overlapped end marginal portions to the wrapper along linesclosely adjacent to the upper lateral edge of the wafer respectively.

10. That method of packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrapper sheet of moisture-impervious thermoplasticmaterial, disposing a plurality of superposed registering wafers uponthe wrapper sheet so as to leave margins of the wrapper projectingbeyond a transverse edge and both end edges of the lowermost wafer,tensioning the wrapper sheet about the wafers and placing the transversemarginal portions of the wrapper in overlapping relation, therebyholding the wafers tightly together, rigidly supporting said overlappedtransverse marginal portions so that they project beyond the edge of thelowermost wafer and applying heat and pressure to heat-seal theoverlapped transverse marginal portions of the wrapper to form an embryopackage, sealing together the upper and lower end marginal portions ofthe wrapper at the opposite ends, respectively, of the package, andthereafter up-turning the overlapped united marginal portions at theside and each end of the package to lie against the side and against theends, respectively, of the package, and sticking said up-turned marginalportions at the side and each end of the package to the body of thewrapper proper, adjacent to the upper edges of the uppermost wafer.

11. That method of packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrap- 10 per: sheetizof, moisture-imperviousthermoplastic material, disposing two rectangular wafers insuperposechregistering,relationuponthe wrapper sheet so: that marginal?portions of. the wrapper sheetprojecti-beyond:the; ends and a transverseedge, respectively; of: the lowermost wafer, drawingz-the: wrapper sheetup and-about the wafers and1rigidly' supporting its transverse and endmarginal, portions; respectively; in overlapping relation; and: so; thatthey incline downwardly fromsthe;edgeszofitherlower'wafer; subjectingsaid overlapping'margins totheatv and:pressure; thereby?unitingthermarignaatp each end andalong said transverse; edge.respectively, along narrow, transversely extending; areas; which -1extend: close totthe:edges-of;thezlowermost wafer,- and turning the.overlapped: andi'uniteck marginal portions at each; endzan'd";atsaid'ztransverse: edge respectively, vertically upiand'istickimgsaidxupturnedi: marginal portions. to: the: bodye of; the: wrapper; at.narrow areas extending along the upper transverse and end edges of theupper wafer.

12. That method of packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrapper sheet of thermoplastic material, disposing aplurality of rectangular wafers in superposed registering relation uponthe wrapper sheet so that the end margins of the wrapper sheet projectbeyond the respective ends of the lower wafer, drawing the wrapper sheetabout the wafers and uniting its transverse marginal portions, therebyforming an embryo package wherein the respective end margins of thewrapper sheet comprise upper and lower overlapped portions, folding inthe corners of the united margins along diagonal lines at each end ofthe package, bending said upper and lower overlapped margins at each endof the package along lines approximately midway the height of thelowermost wafer so that they project downwardly and rigidly, supportingsaid downwardly projecting margins while subjecting said overlappingmargins to heat and pressure along lines closely adjacent to the edgesof the lowermost wafer, thereby fusing said overlapping portionstogether at a narrow area which extends close to the edge of thelowermost wafer, turning the united marginal portions vertically up ateach end of the package, and fusing said upturned marginal portions ateach end of the package to the body of the wrapper at narrow areasextending along the upper lateral edges of the upper wafer.

13. That method of packaging wafers which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrapper sheet of thermoplastic material, disposing aplurality of superposed registering wafers upon the wrapper sheet withthe opposite ends of the lowermost wafer spaced substantially equallyfrom the end edges of the sheet, thereby leaving an end margin of thewrapper exposed at each end of the lowermost wafer, drawing the wrapperabout the wafers and heat-sealing the transverse marginal portions ofthe wrapper to each other along a line adjacent to the transverse loweredge of the lowermost wafer, thereby forming overlapping upper and lowerportions of the end margins of the wrapper, which project beyond the endedges of the wafer, rigidly supporting said projecting margins whileapplying heat and pressure thereto along lines closely adjacent to eachlateral edge, respectively, of the lowermost wafer, thereby uniting theoverlapping margins at each end, and then turning said overlappingunited margins at each end upwardly and sticking them to the wrapperalong lines adjacent to the upper lateral edges. respectively, of theuppermost wafer.

14. That method of packaging waters which comprises as steps providing athin, flexible wrapper sheet of thermoplastic synthetic resin, disposinga plurality of superposed registering wafers upon the wrapper sheet withthe opposite edges of the lowermost wafer spaced substantially equallyfrom the respective end edges of the sheet, thereby leaving an endmargin of the wrapper exposed at each end edge of the lowermost wafer,drawing the wrapper about the wafers so that its transverse marginalportions overlap while concomitantly causing upper and lower portions ofthe respective end, margins to overlap, rigidly supporting theoverlapping portions of the wrapper which project outwardly beyond eachend edge of the lowermost wafer, drawing the overlapping end portionsdownwardly so that they lie in planes making acute angles with the planeof the under surface of the lower most wafer, and applying pressure andheat thereto to fuse the overlapping lateral marginal portions togetheralong lines closely adjacent to the edge of the lowermost wafer.

STEPHEN M. BODOLAY. DANIEL S. VECCHIA.

References Cited in the file of this patent OTHER REFERENCES FoodManufacture, February 1931, pages 38 20 to 40, article entitledTransparent Wrappings.

1. A PACKAGE COMPRISING A WAFER AND A PROTECTIVE CASING FOR THE WAFER,THE CASING CONSISTING OF A SINGLE THIN SHEET OF TRANSPARENTMOISTURE-IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL, THE SHEET FORMING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELTOP AND BOTTOM WALLS, SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS, MARGINAL PORTIONS OF THESHEET BEING OVERLAPPED ALONG ONE SIDE WALL AND AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THEPACKAGE, RESPECTIVELY, OVERLAPPING PORTIONS OF THE MATERIAL, AT OPPOSITEENDS OF THE PACKAGE AND ADJACENT TO SAID SIDE WALL, BEING HEAT SEALEDTOGETHER ALONG EACH OF TWO NARROW, VERTICALLY SPACED, HORIZONTAL AREASONE OF WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE TOP WALL OF THE PACKAGE.